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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25693996">Best Kept Under House Arrest</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oreocat155338/pseuds/Oreocat155338'>Oreocat155338</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Batman: The Animated Series, Young Justice (Cartoon)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Childhood Friends, Harley is under house arrest at Wayne Manor, Other, a touch of angst, slice of life??, the Joker is mentioned but never shows his face</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 07:29:08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>891</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25693996</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oreocat155338/pseuds/Oreocat155338</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"Wally," Dick said as he reached the bottom of the stairs, struggling to stop laughing. "This is Dr. Harleen Frances Quinzel. She's... On house arrest here."<br/>Wally's eyes were the size of dinner plates.<br/>"But-" He started. Dick reached out and covered his mouth with his hand.<br/>"You're here to hang out with me, not gap at another of our guests." He said plainly, before grabbing Wally's wrist with his other and dragging him upstairs. "Come on, and calm down. She's been here the past month and hasn't tried much."</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Alfred Pennyworth &amp; Bruce Wayne, Bruce Wayne &amp; Harley Quinn, Dick Grayson &amp; Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson &amp; Wally West</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>134</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Best Kept Under House Arrest</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ruthie155338/gifts">Ruthie155338</a>.</li>



    </ul></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Bruce had no idea what he was doing.</p><p><br/>
When he'd put Harley Quinn behind bars, he'd expected Joker to break her out within a few days.</p><p>Instead, a week passed with the Crown Prince of Crime terrorizing the city before he'd been put behind bars.</p><p> </p><p>That's when Harley had cashed in her phone call.</p><p> </p><p>She'd called... Him.</p><p> </p><p>Sure, they'd met before, been good friends, for a while-</p><p>But she'd fallen for Joker-</p><p>She'd been such a good person before-</p><p>"We have ways to hide our secrets, Master Bruce." Alfred had reminded him. </p><p> </p><p>And so they'd set about Harley-proofing the house, hiring a live-in therapist (that they ALL kept an eye on. After all, Harley had been a therapist for the Joker and that was how he'd gotten to her) and ensuring that whatever monitoring device they used on Harley, she wouldn't be able to get it off.</p><p> </p><p>That had been a month ago. Sure, she'd tried to escape a few times, but nothing had ever come of it.</p><p>Nowadays, her makeup was off and she only threatened them if she was in a particularly bad mood.</p><p>She helped Alfred with some of the more mundane cleaning- nothing involving chemicals, not after she'd tried to take Dick hostage (he'd caught on and gotten somewhere she couldn't get him in time, thankfully).</p><p>Today... Was Wally's first visit since Bruce had gotten Harley on house arrest at the Manor. The teen hadn't been warned, and Bruce found himself worrying about how he would take it-</p><p>The doorbell rang, and Bruce made his way towards the door-</p><p>Wally walked right past Harley, thanking her, asking where Alfred was-</p><p>"Cooking." Harley replied, and Wally's eyes went wide as he realized who he was talking to-</p><p>He threw himself as far from her as he could in a jump, absolutely screaming.</p><p>Laughter was heard from upstairs as Dick made his way down the stairs.</p><p>"Wally," Dick said as he reached the bottom of the stairs, struggling to stop laughing. "This is Dr. Harleen Frances Quinzel. She's... On house arrest here."</p><p>Wally's eyes were the size of dinner plates.</p><p>"But-" He started. Dick reached out and covered his mouth with his hand.</p><p>"You're here to hang out with me, not gap at another of our guests." He said plainly, before grabbing Wally's wrist with his other and dragging him upstairs. "Come on, and calm down. She's been here the past month and hasn't tried much."</p><p>"He knows who I am," Harley observed as she closed the door. "But didn't know I was here."</p><p>"I have connections in high places," Bruce replied blandly. "Wally happens to be the son of one of those connections. Dick decided they were best friends and that was that. As for not knowing you were here, I guess that Dick just wanted to see how he'd react. No doubt he expected his reaction to be something like this."</p><p>"Brucie, you've really changed," Harley commented. "Even a few years ago, no one would've imagined you'd adopt an orphan."</p><p>"I've learned a lot since Dick moved in," Bruce replied. "Alfred helps. Honestly, I think he prefers Dick to me when I was that age."</p><p>"When you were that age you were befriending me." Harley pointed out. "And sneaking out every so often and-"</p><p>"I get your point," Bruce said. "Dick is more... Adventurous than I was at that age though. Did you see the story about-" He paused, not sure how to phrase it.</p><p>"It was a scandal." Harley gave him a grin. "But yes, I know he's from the circus. That family that fell to their deaths?"</p><p>"Murdered," Bruce corrected. "Dick saw Zucco threaten the circus master for protection money. Told me how diligently they maintained the wires." Harley's face darkened. "Harley, he's behind bars. He'll be there for the rest of his life. And Dick is safe here."</p><p>"I've seen the scars he hides so well." She countered, and Bruce sighed.</p><p>"I told you, he's more adventurous than I was at that age." He replied. "He wants to fight crime."</p><p>"He's not said anything to me." She challenged him.</p><p>"Harley, you're literally a criminal." Bruce pointed out. "He's smart. He wouldn't." He paused. "But, for the record, I think you've done him some good, being here. He's not had a mother-figure since he was eight."</p><p>Harley stopped, eyes wide.</p><p>"I... Have been acting like a mother, haven't I?" She asked softly, not really wanting an answer. She sighed. "Bruce, house arrest is only going to last so long."</p><p>"Until the police force figures out something better." Bruce pointed out. "If they put you in a cell, you'll break yourself out. Arkham, you'll break out with Joker. They can't send you to Belle Reeve because they won't accept villians without powers. There's a good chance you'll be here for a while."</p><p>Unless she hurt someone else in the house. The police had been clear about it. Bruce might be willing to house her, but they weren't willing for one of the richest households in Gotham to get injured.</p><p>"They're trying to figure something out," Harley said. "Once they make a cell that Joker can't get out of- I'm done for. They'll put me in Arkham, Bruce."</p><p>"Then we prove that you've changed." Bruce's eyes twinkled. "And I think <em>you</em> know where to start with that."</p>
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